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In Memory

In memory of our friend and colleague Amy Branch

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Female fans normally know more facts about what’s going on than men do anyway. I’d say they’re a more intelligent fan on top of that. They normally know more about what we’ve done than we know about what we’ve done. --- Tony Stewart

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There are female fans who take apart engines and will take you apart if you have a problem with that; who are drawn to the danger and mystery of the sport; who watch races on TV to witness pure passion and unscripted emotion; who love the camaraderie of these family-friendly festivals; who feel the nervous anxiety of the lip-biting wives atop the pit boxes. --- Andrew Giangola “The Weekend Starts on Wednesday”

Monday, September 3, 2012

It has come down to the final weeks of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season of 2012. Last year at this time I examined the reasons "why I love" the individual drivers in the Chase. Those articles met with resounding approval and I enjoyed writing them. With another year under my belt I wish to spotlight the new class of Chase racers and share with you all the reasons why their presence in the Chase makes up more reasons why I love NASCAR.

Greg Biffle locked his spot in the Chase coming out of Bristol (August 25). He has run an impressive regular season, leaving the Daytona 500 with a solid third place finish behind teammate Matt Kenseth who won the season opener and Dale Earnhardt Jr. who foreshadowed his strong season with second. The succeeding race run at Phoenix saw Biffle finish third again, this time behind Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick. Two third place finishes in a row was enough to push Biffle atop the points leaderboard. He would maintain the position for several weeks.

Eventually Biffle dropped out of the number one position, but he never fell out of the top-10 in points. And, after winning at Texas Motor Speedway in April, Biffle showed the mettle and strength needed to truly vie for the championship. A second win at the Pure Michigan 400 in August proved he was indeed in the hunt.

I have never been a leading Biffle fan, but I have always had respect for the driver. His championships in both the Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide Series show the driver has talent and the wherewithal to win and run consistently in a season time and again. Biffle is still after the ever-elusive Sprint Cup title.

Being in the Roush-Fenway stable it seems Biffle has had to play third fiddle behind the champion Matt Kenseth and the ever-popular Carl Edwards. Even at the Daytona 500 this year, Matt Kenseth’s victory thanks to Biffle’s assistance indicated a season that would see Biffle act more like a wingman than a point man.

Only in recent weeks and with the second win coming at Michigan International Speedway, does Biffle appear focused and determined to rise to the top of the Roush-Fenway pyramid. I don’t feel Biffle is a front-runner for the championship, but he’s certainly in strong contention.

On a side note, I recall a post-race interview given by Boris Said after the Watkins Glen race in 2011. Said unleashed the following tirade against Biffle, “He's the most unprofessional little scaredy-cat I've ever seen in my life. He won't even fight me like a man. So if somebody will text me his address, I'll go visit him at his house and show him what he really needs. He needs a whooping, and I'm going to give it to him. He was flipping me off, giving me the finger, totally unprofessional, two laps down. He's a chump."

Biffle, in his classic style, responded via Twitter with this, "Let me tell u something Boris'the road course ringer' caused that wreck. He did the same thing to me earlier in the race off the carousel".

Apparently the Biff has an edge. Something set Said aflame! An edge has served reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart well so perhaps Biffle can parlay his talent, drive, and attitude into a championship this season.

Regardless of the outcome, having Biffle in the Chase and vying for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup championship is another reason why I love NASCAR.

Chief 187™ is a writer, columnist, and blogger as well as creator of the widely popular Chief 187™Chatter. Her column “Why I Love NASCAR” and other articles are featured on Skirts and Scuffs. She can be reached via Twitter by following @Chief187s. To find out more please visit http://Chief187.com.